Art of cleaning pipe-lines.



Gym WHITNEY.

ART OF CLEANING RIPE LINES. APPLICATION FILED 15110.14, 1906.

906,595. Patented Dec, 15, 1908.

.IIII/II/ III/J W/TIVESSES INVENTOH, 831401160 Q 690506 B) (m w. (1mm.

1 tratei GEORGE F. WHITNEY, OF SOUTH. ORANGE, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR 'lO NATIONAL WATER MAIN CLEANING COMPANY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF MAINE.

ART OF CLEANING PIPE-LINES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 16, 1908.

Application filed December 14, 1906. Serial No. 84.7,908.

- ing specifialtion, and the claims, and illusin the accompanying drawings, in \Vll!.f3ll*- Figure 1 shows means by which my process is carried out, the cleaning device used being of the kind that is pulled through a pipe line by means of a cable. Fig. 2- shows a. section of pipdin which is incloscd a. cleaning device to be pulled through a pipe line by means of a cable; this section being in serted in the pipe line. Fig. 3 illustrates a section of 11 water pipe into which is being introduced a cleaning device of the kind that. is propelled automatically by means of water passed through the pipe. Fig. 1 is a view showing the same section of the pipe inserted in a pipeline and with the auto mntically propelled cleaning device located entirely within the pipe.

The cleaning device shown in Figs. 1 and 2 is a combination of cylinders 5, 6 and 7 carrying cutters and scrapers 8 arranged around their outer surface to cut and scrape off any sediment or ineru'stat-ion that mny be found in the interior of a main or pipe line. I

In Figs 3 and at shown a cleaning device which is adapted to be moved through the ma n or pipe line by water pressure, hav ing a bell shaped frame 9 constructed of canvas or similar flexible material and having connected with it at its front end the cutting and scraping cylinders 10 and 11 which precede the vessel 9- and remove any sediment or incrustation, which may exist in the m in or pi e line.

In the use of these cleaning devices it has been'tound difficult to insert the same into a pipe or main on account of the projecting cutters or scrapers being caught by the end of the'pipe, requiring great power to introduce the cleaning device, and often causing the latter to become torn. To overcome this objection I insert in the one end of the pipe a short pipe 20, the latterpipe having an expanded or conical portion 13. After this short pipe with its expanded or conical end has been inserted in a pipe, the introduction of a cleaning device is performed quickly and easily without the use of extra power and without damaging" the cleaning device.

After the cleaning device has been placed within a pipe if) it is then put in position in -a main replacing a pipe which has been removed therefrom the bell shaped mouth 14 fitting over the end of the forward section in the main, While the rear end of pipe 12 is threaded externally and provided with a sleeve to. The forward end oi the pipe 17 of the main is also threaded and when the section 12 is placed in position the sleeve US is screwed down part oi the way from section 12 and on section 17 thus effecting the coupling snown in Fig. 2 when it may be calked or otherwise prepared to make a Water-tight oint. The forward end 14 of .the section 12 is likewise made water-tight in any usual manner after the pipe has been placed in position in the main.

.ln the form shown in Figs. 3 and l of this device a plain section of pipe 18 is used having the threaded end and a. sleeve 19 to lit thereon and after the cleaning device is inserted into the pipe, the latter is llli'dfllSi} put into an open space in the main and the sleeve 19 is screwed upon one oi the ends of the main while the other end of the main is provided with a bell-shaped socket to receive the other end of the section 18.

The advantage of my process of inserting the cleaning device into a. pipe is that only a minimum of power is required and the life of the device is much prolonged. This is the case whether the insertion of the cleaning device into npipe is made in a shop or factory or at the place Where the cleaning of a pipe line is cliecte l.

The advantage of intro doing a cleaning device into a pipe at a shop or factory and afterwards inserting the ipe with its contained cleaning device is tint a great saving oi. time is ellected. Further, if a cleaning device drawn by a cable be used no extra power is required to start the operation. Again, it an automatic cleaning device be first introduced into a pipe anti this pipe with its contained cleaning device be inserted in the main to be cleaned, no power Whatever is required during the Whole course of the operation, except of course the power furnished by the Water passing through the main which is always available, being needed for other reasons.

What I claim as newis:

l. A pipe line having inserted therein a removable section provided with a device located Within the same.

' 2. The combination of a'pipe and a cleaning device located within the same, said cleaning v eceyeee pipe being' adag'itd to be inserted into and form a portion of a pipe line or main.

3. The combination of a pipe provided with a sleeve on onewend and a cleaning clevice located Within the pipe, said pipe being adapted to be inserted into and form a por tion of a' pipe line or main.

. Signed at N ew York this 6th day of Dec. 1906.

GEORGE F. vvnirmzt.

Witnesses:

C. A. O. RosELL, SOPHIA NVGEBL'ARD. 

